Tenbury Wells Mistletoe
Tenbury Mistletoe by Simon Whaley
(Tenbury Wells Mistletoe was published in BBC CountryFile magazine)
Explore Queen Victoria’s ‘little town in the orchard’ and pucker those lips for a mistletoe meander around Tenbury Wells.
Tenbury Wells goes mistletoe mad in December. Now enjoying its fifth year, the Tenbury Mistletoe Festival (6th Dec 2008) is a day long celebration of this ancient, magical and part parasitical plant. Follow a carnival-style procession through town, when the Mistletoe Queen receives her green leaved and white berried crown during the coronation ceremony. Watch Druids use ancient rituals to bless the plant, which grows abundantly in the surrounding orchards, and then be ready for a kiss!
Start
This mistletoe walk around Tenbury and its orchards provides a gentle stroll after over indulging on Christmas Day. Ramble through Tenbury’s history to see real mistletoe, not the plastic decorations adorning many people’s homes.
From the main car park (off Teme Street) head towards the swimming pool, turning left before bridge. With Kyre Brook on right, follow path around park, turning sharp left at the River Teme. Near the bridge, look out for the old cattle market site on your left. Mistletoe auctions were held here for 150 years until 2004 (development plans mean the auctions now take place at nearby Little Hereford). Continue to Tenbury’s bent bridge, with fine views downstream, before turning left into Teme Street.
Follow Teme Street right into Market Street, then turn right into Church Street, passing the Round Market on the left, which is actually oval. Just before the Church, bear left onto path alongside churchyard. Follow straight through to a residential road, and on to a junction. Turn right, climbing gently for ½km.
1. 1 ½ miles Take third lane (Haresbrook) on left. Look out for mistletoe in orchard on left. Mistletoe grows on deciduous trees, making Worcestershire’s orchards perfect. Apple trees are its favourite host. The seeds are spread by feeding birds, mostly mistle thrushes. Zigzag briefly, before taking signed bridleway on left between fields. Ignore sidetracks.
At road junction cross diagonally into Salt Box Lane, pass cottages, and before de-restriction signs take path on left into field. Follow left boundary into next field with mistletoe orchard. There are good views to Clee Hill. Continue through next field, over stile, bearing right to kissing gate. Proceed to road. Turn left. At next junction turn right.
2. 2 ¾ miles Turn right along B4214. After bending right, take track on left, across Kyre Brook. Climb up, taking signed stile on right along field. Cross stile, turn left, picking up track between hedges, up to farm. Turn right at a track to reach lane, turning left to B4204 with orchard on right. Small orchard fruit trees allow mistletoe to be hand cut and harvested with a small ladder. Druids reputedly used golden sickles. In North America, high growing mistletoe is harvested by shotgun!
3. 3 ½ miles Turn right, then cross road to small gate on left. Cut diagonally right across field, turning right along boundary. Cross over track, continuing along boundary. At corner, turn left into adjacent field, then right, over stile, through trees to another stile. Descend with orchard on right, turning right at bottom, following path through to buildings. Bear left to lane. Turn left, passing Northwick Cottages on right. After 200m, take path on right to swimming pool, back to car park.
Distance: 5 miles (8km)
Type: Easy
Time: 2-3 hours
Terrain: Easy pedestrian paths through Tenbury. Some minor lane walking. Grassy fields with livestock encountered, some paths may be muddy after heavy rain. Don’t tackle walk if flood warnings are issued because both the Teme and Kyre Brook can flood making sections of this route impassable.
How To Get There:
By Car: Tenbury lies off the A456 between Brimfield (near Ludlow) and Kidderminster. Car Parking is found off Teme Street (A4112), turn down beside Library.
By Public Transport: Buses run from Ludlow, Cleobury Mortimer, Worcester and Kidderminster to Tenbury Wells.
Refreshments: The Ship Inn, Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8 AE
Tel: 01584 810269
Nearby Excursions: Burford House Gardens, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire,
WR15 8HQ
Tel: 01584 810777
Open Daily (not Christmas or Boxing Day), 9am-6pm. Adults £3.95, Children £1.50
Web: www.burford.co.uk (select Burford House Gardens)
More Info: Tenbury Wells Tourist Information Centre, 47 Teme Street,
Tenbury Wells, WR15 8AE
Tel: 01584 810136
Recommended OS Map: OS Explorer 203, Ludlow, Tenbury Wells & Cleobury
Mortimer.
Grid Ref of Starting Point: SO596683
Access Information: Unsuitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
© Simon Whaley
